Adjustable strike



Feb. 16, 1954 w. R. JEWELL ADJUSTABLE STRIKE Filed March 14, 1952 Inventor. William R. JeweH,

His ffctorne Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE STRIKE Application March 14, 1952, Serial No. 276,582

7 Claims.

My invention relates to latches and more particularly to strikes for latches.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide new and improved means for maintaining an adjustable latch strike in a predetermined acljusted position.

It is another object of my invention to provide in connection with a longitudinally adjustably positionable latch strike, improved means for insuring a predetermined radial positioning of the strike.

It is still another object of my invention to provide with a latch strike adapted for being adjustably positionable longitudinally by being threaded into or out of a base member, improved locking means for insuring proper radial positioning of the strike when adjusted and being easily releasable for facilitating adjustment of the strike.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

In carrying out the objects of my invention, l' provide a strike having one end in threaded engagement with a base member. The strike is adjustably positionable longitudinally by being threaded into or out of the base member. The base member includes a radial notch and the strike is formed with a longitudinal groove. When the notch and groove are in register, the strike is in a predetermined radial position. A locking member is biased for being seated in the notch in the base member; and when the longitudinal groove in the strike is in register with the notch, the locking member seats therein also, whereby the strike is positively maintained in the predetermined radial position.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a partly sectionalized plan view of my invention applied to a door latch in a refrigerator; Fig. 2 is a partly sectionalized side elevational view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged end View of my invention, partly broken away to illustrate structural details thereof; and Fig. 4 is an exploded view illustrating the assembly of the parts shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the device of my invention, generally designated I, in connection with a door latch in a refrigerator. Therefore, in Fig. 1 are shown part of a refrigerator cabinet 2 and part of a refrigerator door 3, the door 3 being provided for closing an access opening to a food storage compartment in the cabinet 2. The cabinet 2 comprises an outer case 4 and a liner 5. The outer case i is formed with a face portion G framing the access opening to the food storage compartment. Secured to the edge of the face portion t is the outer edge of a breaker strip 'l of plastic or like material of low thermal conductivity. The breaker strip 'l is substantially arcuate throughout its length, and the inner edge thereof extends over the edge of the liner 5, whereby the space between the outer case and liner is closed. The door 3 comprises an outer door formed with a face portion 9 and an inner door I0. The inner door I0 is formed of plastic or like material of low thermal conductivity and is secured to the face portion 9 of the outer door 8 by means of a plurality of screws I I, only one of which is shown.

Provided for encircling the access opening to the food storage compartment and maintaining a seal between the cabinet 2 and the door 3 is a gasket I2 formed of rubber or any other similarly elastic deformable material. The gasket l2 is mounted on the face portion 9 by means of the same screws I I by which the inner and outer doors are fastened together.

Fitted in an aperture in the cabinet breaker strip 1 is a grommet i3. Another grommet I4 is tted in a similar aperture in the inner door I0 and, `when the door is closed, the gromrnet I3 and the grommet I4 are in substantial register,

Extending through the grommet I3 in the breaker strip l, and suitably mounted between the outer case 4 and the liner 5, in a manner which shall be described in detail hereinafter, is a strike i5. The outer end of the strike I5 is formed with a latch nose I6 and extends through the grommet I4 into the door 3, when the door is closed, in the manner shown in Fig. 1. Within the door 3, the latch nose cooperates with a latch roller Il' carried on an arm 18. When the door is closed, the roller IT is positioned behind the nose I6 and engages the underside 2B there of, thereby to hold the door latched or closed and to compress the gasket I2 suniciently to provide a satisfactory seal between the door and cabinet. The latch roller Il' is associated by conventional means, which are not shown, with a handle 2| mounted on the outer door 8, and when the end of the handle 2l is moved outwardly from the door, the roller I l' is moved from behind the latch nose IB, thereby to unlatch the door and permit opening thereof.

It will be seen that in the just-described arrangement, the effectiveness of the gasket I2 in providing a satisfactory seal depends upon the amount of gasket compression when the door is latched closed. The amount of gasket compression in turn depends upon the length of that portion of the strike I which extends through the grommet I4 into the door 3, or in other words, the distance between the face portion 5 of the outer case 4, and the underside 2i) of the latch nose It, which is engaged by the roller Il' when the door is latched closed.

In order that satisfactory sealing may be easily obtained during assembly at the factory and also in t?. e field when extended use has affected the gasket or slightly varied the position of the roller il, and therefore affected the efciency of the seal, the strike l5 is so mounted between the walls of the outer case 4 and the liner 5 as to be adjustably pcsitionable longitudinally for varying the spacing between the underside 2E of the latch nose is and the face portion (i or the outer case 4. As seen in Figs. 2 and 4, the means for mounting the strike |5 includes a bracket 22 formed with a center portion 23 and upwardly and downwardly projecting end portions 2e. The end portions 24 are formed with vertically elongated holes and, by means of screws 2S, only one of which is shown, passing through the holes V25, kthe vbracket 22 is secured between the edge of liner E and one leg of a U-shaped member 2i.

VThe other leg of the U-shaped member is suitably secured as bywelding to a flange 2t formed off the inner edge of the face portion 6 on the outer case 4. The bracket E?. is preferably formed of a low thermal conductivity material, such as plastic, which provides a good thermal break between the cold liner 5 and the relatively warmer outer case 4.

As best seen in Fig. 4, the center portion 2S of the bracket 22 is formed with a horizontally elongated center hole 2S, and a straddling pair of horizontally elongated and parallel outer holes Si?. The outer holes Y3d are provided for receiving tabs 3| formed off and extending perpendicular-ly from the sides of a threaded fastening member 32. The tabs 3| extend through the holes and then through a vertically elongated aperture 33 in a base portion 34 of a lock spring member or locking member 3.5, which will be described in detail hereinafter. The tabs 3| also extend through a pair of spaced apart and horizontally elongated holes 3% in side portions 3l of a base member Si?. In this arrangement, the threaded fastening member 32, the bracket 22, the lock spring member 35 and the base member 38 are all prevented from rotating with respect to each other. The ends of the tabs 3| are notched as at 39 and may be spread in the manner shown in Fig. l, thereby to hold the assembly together.

The base member 3S is formed with a threaded bore and receives in threaded engagement threaded end portion :it of the strike I5. It will be seen that in this arrangement, the strike i5 is longitudinally adjustably positionable by threading the strike I5 farther into or out of the base member Sii. In this manner, the spacing between the underside 2] of the latch nose it formed on the strike i5 and the face portion 5 of the outer case 4 may be Varied thereby to determine the compression and therefore the effectiveness of the gasket I2. After the strike I5 has been adjusted longitudinally, the latch nose I6 is positioned horizontally for cooperating with the roller il.

Provided for restraining the strike l5 from rotational movement whereby the longitudinal adjustment and the horizontal positioning or the latch nose would be upset is a lock screw 4 i. The locking screw 4I is inserted in a bore 42 extending longitudinally through the strike I5. Beyond the threaded portion of the strike l5, the screw 4| extends through the aperture in the lock spring 35, through the center hole 29 in the center portion 23 of the bracket 22 and threads into the fastening member 32. The lock screw 4| when loosened permits the strdze i5 to be thread ed into and out or" the base member 38 for adjusting the strike. After the strike i5 adjustably positioned longitudinally and the latch nose i5 is positioned horizontally i'or cooperating with the roller il, the lock screw di is tightened. Thus the lock screw iii is adapted for restraining the strike l5 from rotational movement.

It will vbe seen, however, that the lock screw 4| does not positively prevent the strike from rotating, therefore the cooperation between the roller Il and the latch nose could and sometimes would cause the strike to rotate slightly in either of the directions indicated by the arrows 43 in Fig. 3. Such rotational movement, in addition to displacing latch nose I6, would cause the strike to thread farther into or out of the base depending upon the direction in which the strike is rotated. This of course would upset the longitudinal adjusted positioning of the strike.

To prevent rotational movement of the adjusted strike, I have provided the above-mentioned locking spring 35 which is formed of spring steel or any similarly resilient material. The base Vportion 34 of the locking spring 35 is slightly arcuate but when the lock screw 4| is tightened the base member 33 holds the spring base portion 34 flat against the center portion 23 of the bracket 22 and the end edges of the base portion 34 are held in engagement with shoulders 44 formed on the center portion of the bracket 22. Extending substantially perpendic- Vularly to the base portion 34 of the locking spring 35 and co-extensive with the strike l5 is a re'- silient arm 45, having a stepped-in portion 46. As seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the portion 45 is formed with a finger 4l extending inwardly toward the strike l5 and an outwardly extending release tab 48. The inherent resilience of the lock spring 35 and flattening of the arcuateA base portion '34 thereof by the base member 33 urges the finger 4l into a seated position in a notch 49 formed in the rim of the base member 3&3 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. Formed in the strike I5 is a longitudinal groove 50. The relationship between the latch nose I8, the longitudinal groove iii! and the notch 49 in the base member 38 is such that when the groove` 54 and the notch 49 are in register, the latch nose I6 is in the horizontal position thereof. When the latch nose l5 is so predeterminedly positioned and the notch and groove are in register, the nger 4l' on the lock spring 45 becomes seated in the groove 50. Thereafter and until the finger 4'! is removed from the groove 5G, the strike I5 is prevented from rotating and the adjustedpositioning of the strike is positively maintained.

After extended use of the refrigerator in the field, it is possible for the gasket to become slightlydeiormed or lose some of its elasticity or for some Avariation to occur in the position of the roller I'I, These conditions could possibly result in unsatisfactory cabinet sealing and require compensating adjustment of the strike I5. When adjustment of the strike is required, the serviceman rst loosens the lock screw 4I. Thereafter, he simply exerts an outwardly directed force on the tab 48 which extends conveniently through the grommet I3. This moves the resilient arm 45 to the dash-line position of Fig. 2 or the full line position of Fig. 3, in which position the finger 4l is removed from the notch 49 and the groove 5i) and the strike is no longer positively prevented from rotating. Then the strike I5 may be turned so as to be threaded farther into or out of the base member 3d, thereby to vary the spacing between the underside 2U of the latch nose I5 and the face portion i of the outer case 4. After the serviceman has started to turn the strike in the desired direction he may release the tab :it and the ringer lil becomes again seated in the notch 49, riding on the periphery or the strike I5. When the strike has made one complete revolution and the latch nose I6 is again satisfactorily positioned for cooperating with the roller I?, the finger il becomes seated in the groove 50, whereby the strike is again positively prevented from rotating. If satisfactory longik tudinal adjustment is not obtained through one revolution of the strike, the tab 43 is again pushed down and the just-described. operation is repeated. When satisfactory adjustment has been attained the lock screw 4I is tightened.

It will be seen that invention, in addition to facilitating strike adjustments in the held, also facilitates and speeds up the attainment of a satisfactory door seal at the factory.

In addition to the iustedescribed means for insuring predetermined rotational positioning of the strike l5 to insure thereby the horizontal pou sitioning of the latch nose with respect to the latch roller I'I, my arrangement includes means for further determining the position of the latch nose with respect to the roller. The above-men tioned elongated vertical holes 25 in the -end portions 24 of the bracket 22 permit the bracket to be moved vertically when the screws 25 are loosened, thereby to obtain satisfactory positioning of the latch nose with respect to the sides of the roller Il. The horizontally elongated slots 29 and 3l) in the center portion 2t of the bracket 22 permit the strike I 5 to be moved horizontally, when the lock screw 4I is loosened, thereby to obtain satisfactory positioning of the tip of the latch nose with respect to the roller I l.

While l' have shown a particular embodiment of my invention in connection with a refrigerator, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular Construction shown and described, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a keeper structure, a strike comprising a threaded portion, and a longitudinal bore, a longitudinally extending groove, a base member having a threaded bore for receiving said threaded portion of said strike to afford longitudinal adjustment of said strike, and a locking member stationary with respect to said base member and biased for being seated in said groove in said strike, a locking screw extending through said longitudinal bore of said strike, said base member, and said locking member to main tain adjusted positioning of said strike, said locking member cooperating with said groove to dispose said strike in a predetermined position with respect to said base member and positively to maintain said strike in said predetermined position, said locking member being removable from said groove for facilitating adjustment of said strike.

2. In a keeper structure, a strike comprising a threaded portion, and a longitudinal bore, a longitudinally extending groove, a base member comprising a threaded bore for receiving said threaded portion of said strike to aiord longitudinal adjustment of said strike, said base member further including a radial notch, and a locking member stationary with respect to said base member and biased for being seated in said notch in said base member, a locking screw extending through said longitudinal bore of said strike, said base member, and said locking member to maintain adjusted positioning` of said strike, said locking member being seated in said groove also when said groove and notch are in register, said locking member cooperating with said groove to dispose said strike in a predetermined position with respect to said base member and positively to maintain said strike in said predetermined position, said locking member being removable from said groove for facilitating adjustment of said strike.

3. In a keeper structure, a strike comprising a latch nose and a threaded portion having a longitudinallyextending groove and a longitudinal bore, a base member having a threaded bore for receiving said threaded portion of said strike to afford longitudinal adjustment of said strike, and a resilient locking member stationary with respect to said base member and biased for being seated in said groove in said strike, a locking screw extending through said longitudinal bore of said strike, said base member, and said locking member to maintain adjusted positioning of said strike, said locking member cooperating with said groove to dispose said latch nose in a predetermined radial position with respect to said base member and positively to maintain said latch nose in said predetermined radial position,

said locking member being removable from said groove for facilitating adjustment of said strike.

4. In a keeper structure, a strike comprising a latch nose and a threaded portion having a longitudinally extending groove and a longitudinal bore, a base member comprising a threaded bore for receiving said threaded portion of said strike to afford longitudinal adjustment of said strike, said base member further including a radial notch, and a resilient locking member stationary with respect to said base member and biased for being seated in said radial notch in said base member, a locking screw extending through said longitudinal bore of said strike, said base member, and said locking member to maintain adjusted positioning of said strike, said locking member being seated in said groove also when said groove and notch are in register, said locking member cooperating with said groove to dispose said latch nose in a predetermined radial position with respect to said base member and positively to maintain said latch nose in said predetermined radial position, said locking member being removable from said groove for facilitating adjustment of said strike.

5. In a keeper structure, a strike comprising a latch nose and a threaded portion having a longitudinally extending groove, a base member having a threaded bore for receiving said threaded portion of said strike in threaded engagement to afford longitudinal adjustment of -aeeawr said strike, and a locking springstationary with respect to said base member and formed to include a finger extending inwardly toward said strike and a tab extending outwardly from said strike, said locking spring biasing said finger for being seated in said groove in said strike, said finger cooperating with said groove to dispose said latch nose in a predetermined radial position with respect to said base member and positively to maintain said latch nose in said predetermined radial position, said tab facilitating removal of said finger from said groove to permit rotation of said strike for affording longitudinal adjustment of the position thereof.

6. In a keeper structure, a strike comprising a latch nose and a threaded portion having a longitudinally extending groove, a base member including a threaded bore for receiving said threaded portion of said strike in threaded engagement for affording longitudinal adjustment of said strike, said base member further including aradial notch, and a. locking spring stationary with respect tor said base member and formed to include a finger extending inmined radial position, said tab facilitating rc- -moval of said nger from said groove to permit rotation of said strike for aording longitudinal adjustment ofv the position thereof.

'7. In a keeper structure, a strike comprising a latch nose and a threaded portion having a longitudinally extending groove and a longitudinal bore, a base member including a threaded bore for receiving said threaded portion of said strike in threaded engagement for affording longitudinal adjustment of said strike, said base member further including a radial notch, a locking spring, a mounting bracket, a threaded fastening member including portions extending through said bracket, said spring and said base member whereby relative rotational movement between said bracket, said spring and said base mem-ber is prevented, and a locking screw extending through said longitudinal bore of said strike, said base member, said spring and said bracket for threaded engagement with said fastening member thereby to maintain adjusted positioning of said strike, said locking spring including a resilient arm co-extensive with said strike, said resilient arm being formed to include a finger extending into said notch in said base member and an outwardly extendingV tab, said resilient arm biasing said finger for engaging said strike through said notch, said finger being seated in said groove in said strike also when said groove and said notch are in register, said nnger cooperating with said groove to dispose said latch nose in a predetermined radial position with respect to said base member and maintain positively said Ylatch nose in said predetermined radial position, said tab facilitating removal of said finger from said groove to permit rotation of said strike for affording longitudinal adjustment of the position thereof.

WILLIAM R. J E-W ELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,069,878 Johnson Aug. l2, 1913 2,019,408 Grill Oct. 29, 1935 2,089,163 Hansen Aug. 3, 1937 2,265,691 Hogg Dec. 9, 1941 2,622,911 Cooper Dec. 23,1952 

